Spirits of Another Sort
by Gamine Madcap
Summary: Two worlds collide as a new sort of enemy threatens the wizards. Can faeries and wizards overcome their boundaries to preserve the balance of nature and power? AU Third Year
1. That Shrewd and Knavish Sprite

A/N: First of all, this is going to be very AU third year. Basically, there's no Sirius Black, no dementors—just my own troublemakers. If you don't like it, don't read it—it's that simple.

My faerie characters are based off of BBC's 'Shakespeare Retold-A Midsummer Night's Dream' characters, with a few tweaks. Such as, my Puck is female. But you can take the Shakespeare Retold version of Puck and pretty much apply it to Jack. There are pictures on my Live Journal page.

If you have no idea who the faeries are, either do your research or ask me. I'll be happy to explain.

I've only read through book 3 of Harry Potter, so…leave me alone, fanatics.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, really. Anything Harry Potter belongs to whoever Harry Potter really belongs to, and the mythological creatures belong to themselves. I kinda sorta but don't really own Jack—he's the combination of a few different ideas. Don't sue me, I'm barely staying afloat and have lots of student debt. Barnes and Noble just doesn't pay that much.

* * *

_The Forbidden Forest just couldn't have been a more appropriate name right now. Draco Malfoy burst through the forest, Hermione, Ron and Harry close behind him. Something was chasing them, and it wasn't very pleasant. Stumbling blindly, the teens didn't realize they were trapped till it was too late. The clearing that they lurched into was really more of a dead end, surrounded by thick trees, brush and roots as though the forest itself was bent on snaring them. Whimpering, Malfoy spun around, looking for a way out. "We're trapped!" he cried._

_The other three took in their predicament and exchanged a look. They were scared, but crying like a baby wasn't going to help. Harry pulled out his wand, and after a moment's hesitation, Ron followed suit. Hermione quickly found a sturdy stray branch and set it on fire for a make-shift torch. Together, the trio turned to face their attacker._

_A shape was slowly emerging before them, a black shadow that was even more black than the forest surrounding it. Harry stood steady, ready to attack if necessary, suddenly very glad that this year's Defense against the Dark Arts teacher had taught them things that were actually useful. As the creature moved closer, Harry could swear that he heard a soft, feminine laughter coming from the shadow. _

"_Who are you?" he demanded. Giggling was his only response. "What do you want from us?"_

"_Little changelings…" answered a soft, high-pitched female voice. Harry couldn't help but think that she sounded ever so slightly insane. "Sweet little wizard changelings…"

* * *

_

6 months prior…

Beautiful late summer afternoon in the woods of England…and it couldn't have possibly been more boring. Puck sat in the branches of one of her favorite oak trees overlooking the river, and was on the verge of banging her head against the tree trunk. Titania's handmaidens were steering clear of her since the incident with the pigs, and there were no mortals about to play with. The only remotely interesting thing anywhere around was sitting two branches above her and to the left, filing his nails.

Puck looked up at Jack as he studied his left hand and blew on his nails, wiping them against his coat before setting the file to them again. A small smile began to creep its way across her face. Oh well, it would seem that she would just have to make her own fun…

In the blink of an eye, Puck was around the tree trunk and leaning over the pooka's shoulder. "You know," she started slowly, "if you keep doing that there's not going to be anything left."

Jack dropped his hands and looked over at her. "Since when do you care about my nails?" he asked, just before switching hands and working on his right hand. Puck grinned wickedly, reached over and snatched the file from Jack's hands and was on the other side of the tree in a flash.

"Since the sound of this thing has been getting on my nerves all morning," she answered, dodging up the branches as Jack came after her.

"Puck…" he whined. "Give it back."

Wrapping an arm around the tree trunk, she paused, and smiled down at him from her perch. "No," she answered simply, as though he were out of his mind. "I'm finally starting to have some fun." With that, she scampered up a few more branches, this time with Jack on her tail. The two went round and round the great tree, and Puck dropped to the ground suddenly, laughing as she kept just as the pooka's reach.

The two were completely oblivious to the fact that their lord and lady had entered the clearing and were standing near the base of the oak tree, watching the two chase each other around. Oberon leaned against the trunk of the tree, Titania standing next to him, watching for a break in the action. Not seeing one, he cleared his throat loudly…with absolutely no effect.

The jesters both stopped suddenly, standing opposite each other on either side of the clearing. Jack looked annoyed, and Puck was grinning wildly. She was very much enjoying this. "C'mon, Puck, give it back," Jack said, a little more fire to his voice than before. The sprite just laughed and dangled the nail file in front of her face.

"Awww, does little Jackie want his manicure toy back?" she asked, her voice sickly sweet. Jack just growled in frustration.

Oberon exchanged a look with his queen. This could go on for hours if he didn't do something. "Puck," he called, a slight edge to his voice. Unfortunately, she was a little too much into her game to pay much attention. The sprite gave him a little half wave, barely registering his presence.

"Oh Jaaack…" she called, taking a couple of steps back. "Come and get it." He growled and ran at her, only for her to dance out of his reach and twirl around laughing.

Their king, however, was not so amused. He sighed, exchanging a frustrated look with Titania, before striding into the fray himself. Jack and Puck had stopped again, the pooka trying to figure out the best way to capture the hobgoblin. When it looked as though they might go at it again, Oberon decided he'd had enough. Before Puck could run off, he slid up behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist, halting her in her tracks. The small girl looked up in shock as he plucked the nail file from her hand and tossed it to Jack before releasing her from his grasp. Puck turned and looked up at him with a pout.

"Spoil my fun," she said, crossing her arms across her chest. Oberon just gave her a Look.

"We have some business to attend to," he said seriously. Jack and Puck exchanged a look, before taking a deep breath and turning their attention to their king. Seeing that he actually had their attention now, Oberon made a motion for them to follow him, before turning and heading out of the clearing.

"I've been informed that Illyria has been making plans to raise up some changelings," he started. Puck looked at him from her new perch on the top of one of the many picnic tables that now littered their woods. It hadn't been that long ago that the mortals had turned their woods into some sort of camp-park thing. But on the up side, it did provide more mortals to play with.

"Illyria?" Jack asked.

"Yeah. You know, crazy broad. Had a thing for Oberon years ago. Did the whole, 'I'm gonna seduce the king into loving me' bit." Puck grinned as Oberon groaned and hung his head, rubbing a hand over his face. "It was actually pretty funny." The sprite tried to push back a laugh at the annoyed look on Titania's face. "Oh come on. She tried to turn you into a newt. You can't say that wasn't funny."

"Can we please get back to the matter at hand?" Oberon asked crossly. Puck reduced her smile to a meek grin and cast a sly look to Jack who was perched across from her on the other side of the table. She'd have to tell him the whole story later.

"The thing is, Illyria isn't going after just _any _children," Oberon said. "She's going after _wizard_ children. One of whom comes from a fey-blessed bloodline. All of the seers say that the ones she's targeted are going to be quite instrumental in their world's time line, so it is imperative that we save them."

"What did you have in mind?" Puck asked, starting to get interested. It had been centuries since they'd had any direct dealings with wizards.

The king had turned back to his lady and wrapped his arms around her as he answered. "What do you think of playing in the mortal realm for a bit?" he asked, a bit of a twinkle in his eye. Puck's face exploded with excitement.

"Really?"

Oberon shrugged. "You'll infiltrate the school, posing as a student. Keep watch over the children. Nothing too drastic."

The female jester giggled. "And maybe a few tricks along the way?"

Oberon smiled. "I don't see why not. They are wizards, after all. Just so long as you don't attract unnecessary attention to yourself. And nothing that would give yourself away to Illyria."

"Have you ever known me to attract unnecessary attention to myself?" Puck asked playfully.

Her master narrowed his eyes at her, and one of his eyebrows crept up. "I'm not going to answer that," he said. Puck smirked, and hopped off the table, grabbing her jacket that had materialized beside her. "You can take Jack with you."

Puck froze, one arm in her jacket, and stared at her lord, wondering and hoping that he was joking. She liked Jack alright, even have a good time with him occasionally, but for something like this…"I can handle it myself."

Oberon cocked his head slightly at her and crossed his arms against his chest. Puck stepped forward, rising up to the unasked question. "I'm sure that Jack would be better served here. He'll just get in my way."

At that, Jack threw down his hands in annoyance. "Oh come on. Me get in _your _way? When have I _ever_ gotten into _your _way?"

Puck just rolled her eyes at him, keeping her attention on Oberon. The king looked down, his expression cross; he didn't like it when others challenged him. "You'll take Jack with you," he repeated firmly, his tone reminding Puck that he was, of course, the one in charge. As his changeling, she was bound to his will. But that didn't mean that she couldn't contest it from time to time.

Puck rolled her eyes. "Alright," she groaned, clearly not liking the decision. Oberon gave her a semi-suspicious half-smile, but decided to count his blessings for now.

"Very well. We'll need to hurry, though; there isn't much time for us to make our preparations."

* * *

The streets of Diagon Alley were filled with the usual pre-school year chaos. Children and parents were coming out of the woodwork, or so it seemed, with shops filled to capacity as old and new students alike struggled to find all of the necessary items on their back-to-school lists. Unseen above them sat an odd young man bundled up in a buttoned-up brown suede coat, tan scarf, and a gray toboggan that covered most of his chin-length blond-brown hair. He held one hand out in front of him, studying his nails, before pulling a nail file from one of his many pockets and setting to work. Beside him sat a short young woman in a patchwork jacket and uncontrollable dark brown curls. The duo sat on the edge of the roof of one of the stores on the main street, legs dangling in the air, watching the hustle and bustle below. The man sighed, dropping his hands in disgust.

"What are we doing up here?" Jack asked, looking at Puck. The female sprite lifted her chin from her hands to meet his gaze, and let out a sigh of her own, though her's rang with the impatience of a teacher with a slow pupil.

"We're _watching_," she answered, as though it should be obvious. "If Oberon wants us to blend in with the students, then we need to watch how they act."

"But why? They're just kids. We know how kids act. Hell, most of the time _we_ act more like kids then those little buggers down there."

Puck just shook her head, never losing the air that she thought Jack was being a simpleton. "These are _wizard_ children. They're different. You've never spent any time around wizards, and it's been far too long since I've had any dealings with them. So we need to observe how they act so that we don't go in and completely give our selves away."

"Oh." Jack looked at the nail file in his hand, then back down to the street below them. "So…what now?"

A sigh of defeat was his answer. Puck hung her head before reaching over and snatching the nail file from the pooka's hand, before tossing it to the other side of the roof. Jack grumbled and stood to get it. Puck smiled wickedly, just as something on the street below caught her attention. Jumping up into a squat, Puck precariously balanced at the edge of the corner, hands over feet, looking curiously at what was happening. Three of their soon-to-be charges were on the street below- two boys and one girl. One of the boys and the girl, one with bright red hair, the other with mousy brown, had been coming up one side of the street, while the other boy (who was a pale blond) stalked up to them from the other. Puck watched with delight as the three appeared to have some sort of confrontation. Indeed, the boys even looked close to brawling.

Eventually they separated, the blond boy shoving past the other two and continuing down the street. He must have said something nasty, because the girl had to stop the red-head from charging after him. Puck was almost disappointed—she was curious as to what would have happened. As Jack returned, she started to say something about it, but stopped suddenly, cocking her head to the side as though she were listening to something. After a moment, she stood abruptly.

"Come on," Puck said. "Oberon's tracked one of the children to an inn near here. He wants us to get a room and meet them there." Jack stood and followed her lead. This was going to be interesting.

* * *

Business at the Leaky Cauldron was fairly slow, since it was only early afternoon. A bell dinged as Jack opened the door, holding it for the young woman who followed him. Puck shot him a little glare as he smiled at her and wrapped an arm around her waist. Jack just ignored her and turned to the innkeeper, handing him a small pouch of gold. "We're gonna need a room for the night, mate," he said.

Tom counted the coins in one hand quickly, before looking up and giving Jack a gap-toothed grin. "Oh, I'm sure we can accommodate you, sir. And your lady friend." The hunchback smiled at Puck, and the sprite managed just a tiny one back. She really wasn't in the mood to be polite at the moment. "Right this way, please." He turned and they followed him up the stairs. Jack allowed Puck to go first up the narrow staircase, but pulled her close again as they walked down the hall, ignoring her attempt to pull away.

"Now, now, play nice, darling," he murmured in her ear. She just growled at him softly. The pooka was having way too much fun with this, and Puck wanted nothing more than to punch the cheeky grin off his face and replace it with a snout.

"Here we are," Tom said, unlocking the door that he'd stopped at and waving the two inside. "You just let me know if we can do anything for ya, then." Jack nodded at him as they stepped inside and closed the door.

Once the door was closed, Puck popped away from Jack as fast as she could, which was, of course, _very_ fast. In a flash, she was several feet away on the other side of the bed. Jack turned from the door and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "What, no foreplay?" he asked with a smirk. She just rolled her eyes at him, and a moment later, he was dodging a blast of golden-green Glamour.

"Would you come off it?" she snapped, not so much annoyed at Jack but at the tiny flip-flop she'd felt in her stomach when he'd pulled her close downstairs. "We have work to do." Puck pulled a small pocket watch out of one of her jacket pockets and glanced at it before looking out the window. "Right on time," she muttered to herself, watching a small dark-haired figure approaching the inn with a red-head and brunette in tow. Puck looked up at Jack and gave him a small smile before vanishing from the room altogether. Jack just shook his head and laughed, before doing the same himself. Unlike Puck, he was going to have to track down his target, so he figured he might as well get started. They were all in for a busy night.

* * *

Even though she really didn't have to, Puck chose to make herself invisible to the mortals downstairs. Sure, she could have just sat in a corner and watched them from a table, but where was the fun in that? She would much rather be able to get close (at least closer than a stranger could manage) and really know what was going on. Beside, her job was to feel out the children she was to be protecting. That way, she could pick a guise that would make herself endearing to them.

The three children that she'd spotted from the upstairs window were quickly joined by several other red-headed individuals, presumably all the one boy's family. Puck rolled her eyes. Why did some mortals insist on populating the world with so many children? Weren't there enough of their kind as it was? At any rate, it didn't take long for her to take a liking to the two identical boys—they seemed like pranksters, and there was nothing that she loved more than true pranksters. For a moment, Puck lost herself in the thoughts of what sort of wonderful schemes she could pull if there was someone who looked exactly like her. The very thought made her giggle madly; surely Oberon and everyone else would go out of their minds. Oh, but what fun that would be…

The sprite pulled herself out of her revere as she noticed her three charges talking amongst themselves. She scooted over to lean on the pillar directly behind them. It would seem that they were telling the new boy about their encounter with the blond boy in the streets. Even if she hadn't had witnessed the near-fight herself, it was obvious that these three hated the other boy. Puck was suddenly glad that Jack was going with her. It would have been one thing to guard all four if they were friends, quite another to do the same when they're enemies. Puck was still sure that she could have pulled it off, but it wouldn't have been easy if she was to blend in with the students and gain their trust at the same time.

Puck tapped her fingers on her chin as she heard some of the insults that the blond boy had thrown at the two earlier. "Mudblood," the girl spat. "Honestly, I'm beginning to wish that he'd come up with something else for a change. That seems to be the only thing that he can ever throw at my face."

"Try not to let it bother you, Hermione," the dark-haired boy answered. "He's just jealous because he's a full-blooded wizard and can't do half the spells you can."

"Yeah," the red-headed boy agreed. Then his face darkened. "But I swear though, if Malfoy says one more thing about my family…" he waved his wand threateningly. Puck snorted. How could anyone get even a speck of magic done if they had to carry around a twig with them all the time to do it? Ah, the oddities of wizards…

"You'll do absolutely nothing," Hermione finished. "You can't. You'd get expelled if anyone caught you."

The red-head muttered something about 'only _if_ someone caught me' and Puck grinned in spite of herself, the beginning of a plan twinkling in her eyes. If this Malfoy was as much of a bully as they said, then there just might be a way for her and Jack to make this work.

The sprite straightened as she felt Jack return upstairs just as the children were called away to dinner. Perfect timing, she thought, silently whisking herself back up to their room to begin working out their disguises.

* * *

Puck stood in their bedroom, staring at herself in the mirror. A quick blast of Glamour had put the thing to sleep (another thing she didn't understand about wizards, giving life to things that have no business being animated) and now she just stood there, hands on her hips, trying to think of something appropriate.

"You could go blond," Jack suggested. Puck turned and glared at him, while her reflection just stuck out her tongue. Turning back to the mirror, she chewed on a fingernail in thought. After they'd gotten back to their room, Puck had shared her idea of a ruse with Jack, and was glad when he'd reported that Malfoy acted exactly as she'd expected him to act. So she would need something innocent…straightening, Puck ran her fingers through and under her hair, her Glamour making it shorter and into more controlled ringlets. Next was the face—she gently rubbed both hands over her face to make it younger and a little more heart-shaped. As she did this she seemed to shrink, just a bit. Puck was already small—she barely topped five feet normally—but she wanted to still be small next to the mortals. Small and innocent and helpless…that was the key.

Puck turned and raised an eyebrow at Jack. He stood from his lounging position on the bed, rising to her unspoken challenge. As he walked towards her slowly, he rubbed a hand across his chin, his beard seeming to grow back into his face. Then he fingered his hair, Glamouring it back into a shorter and neater cut. He too seemed to shrink; Puck figured he'd still be a little taller than the wizard boys they'd be caring for, but that was good—Jack's role would need it. When he was done Puck found herself face to face…well, face to shoulder… with a clean-cut boy who held himself as someone of importance. The slight slouch that was normally a part of Jack's figure was gone—this was a young man who'd been raised to believe that he was better than others and that he was to be someone important someday. Puck held his gaze for only a moment before bursting into giggles. This was going to be great.

"I see you two have been busy." The sprites turned to see Oberon and Titania standing near the door. Puck struck a pose for them.

"What do you think?" she asked. Oberon smiled approvingly.

"Very nice," he answered. Jack and Puck looked at each other again, giving their opposite an once-over, before nodding in unison. Yes, these disguises would do nicely.

"Everything is in order at the school. You've both been added to the rostrums, in the appropriate houses and years. No one in the administration should notice your arrival," Oberon continued, walking over and taking a seat on the bed. Puck thought that he looked just a bit winded, and glancing at Titania, she could also see signs of strain on her queen as well. The jester was at her king's side in an instant, shedding her mortal masquerade just as quick.

"You alright?" she asked, concern in her eyes. Oberon looked up at her and smiled tiredly.

"The defenses at the school have been improved since I was there last," he answered, and now Puck could hear the weariness creeping into his voice. "And we very nearly had an encounter with the headmaster." Oberon smiled at Titania as she joined him on the edge of the bed and wrapped an arm around him. Then he switch his gaze back to Puck and Jack, who had also changed back to normal and was standing close behind her.

"I want you two to be careful around him," he added seriously, looking them both in the eye one at a time to make sure he had their full attention. "I don't think he'll sense you, but if he's set on your trail he very well might see through your disguises. I'm quite certain he sensed us, if just for a moment, and he was on the other end of the school. I made sure of that." Oberon inhaled deeply and held his gaze on Puck's, pointing a finger at her for emphasis.

"No tricks around him," he said slowly, emphasizing each word. "He seems to be a good man, but you know as well as I the impressions wizards have of us. They remember only the bad, and it's been such a long time since they've seen anything else, that I don't really blame him. I don't want us making any trouble with him." Oberon held his gaze steady and raised his eyebrows expectantly until Puck nodded her understanding, and he nodded in turn.

"Good. Now, the train leaves in the morning. Here are the things you two need to gather by then. I assume you've worked out a plan regarding the children?" Puck and Jack nodded as he handed them each a list. "Excellent. I want to hear it later, before we leave. Now, be off with you. The hard part may be over, but there's still some chores left to be done before we're through."


	2. I am that Merry Wanderer of the Night

FYI--Robin is Puck in human form—although sometimes I change out the names randomly, like when Jack is thinking or referring to her. Sorry there's not a lot a dialogue in this chapter. You'll get more later.

Disclaimer: I don't really own anything—I just own my unique perspective on certain characters. No sueing people—it isn't nice and if I were making money off of this I wouldn't be working my ass off on the weekends.

Enjoy!

* * *

Platform 9 ¾ was full of parents and children, each hurrying to say their goodbyes. Harry, Hermione, and Ron all boarded quickly, hurrying to get a good car. Unnoticed a few paces behind them, a small girl slid her way through the crowd to follow them. Elsewhere in the crowd, Draco Malfoy shook hands with his father, and made his way towards the train, joined by Crabbe and Goyle. A tall boy with dirty blond hair made his way towards them, loudly making a few choice comments that caught their attention.

The three young Gryffindors chatted away in their compartment, eagerly exchanging summer tales. "Do you mind if I join you?" asked a quiet voice from the doorway. The trio looked up to see a small girl standing there. The most distinctive features about her were her wild mass of curls, and the quiet, timid way she spoke. Two hopeful green eyes peeked out from under the mass of brown hair.

After a brief glance at his friends, Harry smiled and nodded. "Sure." Hermione scooted over as the girl closed the door and joined them.

"Well, this is Ron, and Hermione," Harry introduced. "I'm Harry."

The new girl smiled. "Robin," she answered softly.

"Are you a first-year?" Hermione asked curiously. Robin shook her head, causing curls to bounce back and forth.

"Third," she answered. The three friends exchanged confused glances.

"I don't remember ever seeing you here before," Hermione said, voicing their question aloud.

"Our family hasn't been…able to send us till now," Robin said, ducking her head as though ashamed. "We've been home-schooled till now."

"We?" Harry asked.

Just then, the compartment door slid open, revealing a tall boy with dirty blond hair that fell into his eyes. He grinned wickedly as his gaze fell on Robin.

"What's this, cousin?" he asked, stepping forward and glancing over the others. "Found yourself some other half-breeds to hang around with?"

Robin's eyes grew big as she stood. "What do you want, Jack?" she asked, her voice shaking even as she tried to sound brave. Whatever he was going to say was cut off as a few other boys stepped up behind the newcomer. The smallest of them stepped in next to Jack, his smirk enough to put both Harry and Ron on their feet.

"Told you they'd be back here," Malfoy sneered. "Biggest mudblood lover in the school."

"Go away, Malfoy," Harry growled. The pale blond boy narrowed his gaze and smiled coldly.

"Why don't you make me, Potter?" Harry took a step forward, as though he intended to do just that, when the new boy's voice interrupted them.

"What do you think _you're_ going to do?" Suddenly all eyes were on Jack. "I wouldn't expect a lot if you're as tainted as _she_ is."

Robin's hands clinched into fists. "I am not.." she started. Jack just smirked at her.

"What, ashamed of you good-for-nothing muggle mother?" he persisted.

The girl's lower lip trembled. "You…you take that back!" she shouted, sounding as though she were on the brink of tears.

By this point, Harry was standing even with Robin. "Just go, Malfoy. And take your new _friend_ with you." Harry spat out the words as though 'friend' left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Without a word, Malfoy and his flunkies turned and left, though evil gazes darted between the two groups like ammunition. If looks could kill, they would have all perished. Jack lingered in the car a moment longer, his gaze lingering on his "cousin." Robin still looked as though she was torn between hitting him and crying. With one last smirk, he turned and left.

Harry moved past Robin and shut the door behind them. "Don't let them get to you," he said, turning to face her. He felt bad for her—Harry knew all about bullying cousins. He couldn't imagine what his life would be like if Dudley was a wizard too; or worse, if Harry hadn't been a wizard at all.

The poor girl still looked as though she were going to cry. "It's just that…he's always doing that," she answered, her voice thick with tears. "He's always acting like he's better just because his parents are full-blooded and mine aren't." Robin sniffed and ran a sleeve across her nose.

Hermione patted her arm as they sat down. "It's alright. Both of my parents are Muggles. There's nothing wrong about it."

Robin nodded as she wiped her face. "I guess." After a moment, she took a deep breath and let it up in a rush. "Hey, what house are you all in?"

"Gryffindor," Harry answered. Suddenly a smile exploded onto Robin's face.

"Really? Me too!" she said. "We went over the summer and got placed."

Harry smiled at her. He was glad that she would be in their house, and not stuck out on her own. She reminded him of Neville, in an odd sort of way—though there was a quiet confidence that lurked in the depths of Robin's eyes.

The children settled back into their seats, the conversation turning to various school events and past happenings. Before long, the car was roaring with laughter as various past excursions were discussed.

* * *

Robin Goodfellow—or Robin Fellows, as she was to be known at Hogwarts—was enjoying herself immensely. It had been her idea to set up the relationship with Jack as a bullying cousin sort of thing. As the fey had watched their new charges, Puck had recognized the hero qualities in her three, and Jack reported a particularly nasty streak in his. So they had planned a wonderful ruse of bully and underdog. It seemed to be the perfect way to put them in good graces with their charges.

The part that Puck loved most was the role she was to play. Anyone could play the fool; it took true talent to be the straight man. Or in her case, woman. The best part was that when it came to tricks, no one ever suspected the quiet, shy girl. It was great fun to trick mortals and then listen to them complain about it. Being sympathetic after being mischievous was sheer madness, and the Puck was nothing if not a little mad.

Jack tried to look interested as Malfoy rattled on about yet another person that Jack should not associate with at Hogwarts. Unlike Puck, Jack wasn't quite enjoying his role. Oh, he enjoyed being able to pick on Puck without her being able to retaliate…but that was about it. His company was decidedly worse than Puck's seemed to be; his charge was an arrogant little prick who seemed to believe that he was better than everyone else on the planet. Jack rather wished that this one would get taken by Illyria so that he could beat the crap out of him fair and square.

Fortunately for Jack, Malfoy seemed to take to him. The child seemed to recognize something in Jack that appealed to him. But then, that was the point of Puck's plan—for each of them to take on roles that would appeal to their charges. In Puck's case, that meant becoming a quiet, bullied underdog. For Jack, it meant being a pompous ass. Malfoy seemed to acknowledge and respect someone who carried the same princely attitude as himself.

By the time the train arrived at the school, a heavy rain was pouring from the heavens. Robin looked up and grimaced; she hoped Oberon and Titania weren't quarrelling again. With neither her nor Jack there to help them cool down, things could get very ugly.

The older students piled into carriages as quickly as possible to be taken to the school. Robin pitied the first-years; though the view of Hogwarts was spectacular from the lake, she wasn't sure it was worth crossing the lake in the torrential downpour.

The disguised sprite stared out the rain-streaked window of the carriage, gazing up at the castle illuminated on the hillside. The old-fashioned setting warmed her heart—it had been far too long since she'd gazed upon a building of the ancients. It was nice to be heading toward a place that was nearly as old as herself.

The children poured into the great hall, eager to escape the downpour outside. Robin stuck close to the others as everyone scattered into their houses. Her new friends introduced her to various other students in Gryffindor as they were seated, and she found herself shaking several hands and being barraged by names. The sprite stored away the information for later use, and grabbed a seat between Harry and a boy he'd introduced as Neville.

The room fell silent as the huge doors flew open and the newest batch of first-year students filed in, led by a dour-faced elderly woman. The nervous new students cluttered together as the woman took her post beside the Sorting Hat and began reading out the names. Robin found herself glad that Oberon had found a way to get her and Jack in the right houses without them having to get under that ridiculous hat. She listened to the Hat's song and rhymes with mirth, but was grateful that they'd avoided its snare—there was no telling what it might have been capable of seeing. Soon the new students were sorted into their respected houses, and Headmaster Dumbledore stood to welcome everyone back to Hogwarts.

Robin tuned out most of what the Headmaster said, taking the time to observe the other teachers. She recognized the half-giant Hagrid from the train stop; he seemed to be a gentle soul, and had the smell of animals and the forest. Robin was inclined to trust anyone who was kind to nature. Next to him sat Minerva McGonagall, the woman who had led in the first-years. Robin had great admiration for a natural shape-shifter and made a note to watch her tricks around the wise old witch. Glancing down the line, her eye caught on a grim man with black hair. He had a terribly serious expression, and looked as though he could do with a good helping of prunes. The sprite decided that she simply must ask Harry about him later. She could tell that she would have a great deal of fun with this one. The serious ones were _always_ the most fun.

Looking over the rest of the teachers, Robin quickly dismissed them as threats. She paused briefly over the strange divination teacher, who definitely had the air of a mortal with the Gift, but the sprite wrote her off once recognizing her eccentric nature. The ones who wore their gifts on their sleeves were usually the ones who used them the least.

Suddenly, the headmaster's voice ceased, and food appeared on the table. Robin smiled in spite of herself—she saw through the magic of her cousins, the house elves. She quickly made a mental note to visit the kitchens at some point to pop in on the hobs. Perhaps they had seen or heard something that would give her master some clue as to where to look for Illyria.

The children filled their plates and chatter descended on the table. Summer stories were exchanged, as well as speculations on the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Apparently people didn't last long in that position; Robin heard some boys down the table taking bets on how long the newest teacher would last. Curious, Robin looked up at the man; he didn't appear to be exceptionally dangerous, though there was an odd, distinctly familiar smell about him that the sprite couldn't quite place. All in all, Robin decided that he was as dangerous as any wizard.

The sprite let her attention fall on the Headmaster, Dumbledore. He had a rather grandfatherly look about him, but Robin eyed him suspiciously. Dumbledore was the reason that neither Oberon nor Titania would step foot on the grounds for long. It wasn't that the old wizard actually posed a _threat_ to the faerie king and queen, but it would have been impossible for fey as powerful as Oberon to go unnoticed by a wizard as powerful as Dumbledore. Oberon's warning of him was more than enough to make her wary of the old man, and the fact that he might be able to see through their Glamours if set on their trail made him dangerous. This was one mortal who would certainly know what to do with a faerie he didn't want around.

Robin smiled shyly when a blond Irish boy named Seamus started asking her questions. She answered them in a quiet voice, tucking a stray curl behind one ear. She was especially glad when desserts started to appear on the table; Oberon usually didn't like for her to eat chocolate. Sugar had a tendency to make her a little hyper. But seeing as how she was playing a part, and as Oberon wasn't exactly around at the moment…Robin smiled as she spooned out some chocolate pudding onto her plate. Now if she could just find some coffee she's be in business.

Before long, dirty dishes began to disappear, and the students stood and followed their prefects up to their houses. Robin stuck close to the others, and found that she was rooming with three other girls, one of whom was Hermione. She smiled to herself; it would seem that Oberon had thought of everything. She couldn't help but wonder how Jack was making out.


	3. Those that Hobgoblin Call You

A/N: Greetings, all. So sorry for the delay in posting—my muse abandoned me in my time of need. Or it could have been because of my roommate's nagging. Anywho, here's chapter 3. Enjoy!

* * *

This was ridiculous. The wizards were mad. If Puck was certain of anything, it was this. And while Puck normally liked mad, she had quickly determined that this wasn't the fun sort of mad, this was the bore-you-to-death out of your mind sort of mad. And Puck had figured all of this out after only about five minutes in her Divination class.

Robin Fellows sat across from Hermione in the oddly decorated tower classroom, fully convinced that if this was the sort of thing that wizards had been wasting their time on, then Illyria could _have_ the stupid mortals, because they couldn't possibly be capable of any sort of real magic. While Professor Trelawney had the scent of the Sight, she either didn't use it very often, or was simply too caught up in the fantasy to be a proper teacher. Or Robin's original hypothesis was correct, and she was simply crazy. It certainly wouldn't be the first time that a seer had gone off the deep end.

The only thing that was keeping alive any hope at this point was Hermione's skepticism. It hadn't taken long for Robin to learn that most of the others considered Hermione an insufferable know-it-all. So the fact that the young witch considered this class as much of a joke as Robin did eased her discomfort somewhat. Still…it was a hell of a way to be introduced to the world of wizardry.

The disguised sprite drained her tea cup with a grimace—she'd always hated the bitter stuff. She exchanged cups with the girl across from her on command, listening to Hermione's mutterings about the worthlessness of what they were doing with a small smile. As Robin starred into Hermione's empty cup, she tried to discern some shape from the blob of tea leaves in the bottom. Hearing a commotion behind her, she turned to see Professor Trelawney holding a tea cup and clutching her chest in shock. "The Grim!" The professor exclaimed. "Oh, my dear boy…you have the Grim!"

Eyeing the table that Trelawney was standing over, it appeared to Robin that she was talking to Harry. "What does that mean?" Robin asked, ignoring her own book and turning to a student behind her who was already flipping through his. When the boy found what he was looking for, he paled and looked up, a look of dread on his face.

"It means death," he answered. A disquieting murmur went through the class. Inwardly, Robin groaned. Either Professor Trelawney was full of it, or it had just been predicted that Harry Potter was going to die…which in Robin's mind, could also mean that he could just die as a _mortal_, and be reborn as a changeling. Great. Perfect. If she was wrong about Trelawney and this whole divination stuff, then she may have just been told that her entire purpose for being at this school was pointless. Wasn't that just peachy…

After what felt like an eternity of bickering and pouting, they were finally off to Care of Magical Creatures. Robin had been tagging along quietly behind Harry, Ron, and Hermione most of the day, listening to the scrabbles between Ron and Hermione about whether or not the Grim that Professor Trelawney had seen in Harry's cup meant anything. For Robin, Professor McGonagall's assurance that Trelawney's predictions of death meant nothing was enough to keep her from contacting Oberon straight away—at least for now.

As the students walked towards the forest, the sound of Jack's voice caught Robin's ears, and it occurred to her that at least some of the classes must be shared with other houses. And it seemed that this class was going to combine Gryffindor with Slytherin. Robin caught Jack's eye for a brief moment and winked as the students gathered around the clearing that was going to be their classroom. This was going to be interesting.

Robin barely paid attention to Hagrid as he started to talk to the class. She had already smelled the hippogriff, and the book in her hands lay quiet—unlike many of the ones around her, which were straining against their bindings to try and bite their owners. Robin hadn't actually bothered to try and open the book—when it took a snap at her she had simply growled back hard enough to intimidate it.

The sprite eyed the hippogriff with suspicion, fully aware of what the creature was capable of. Personally, she thought that the half-giant was crazy for wanting to put a child on that thing, but then again, everything that the wizards had done so far had struck her as mad. Suspicion turned to border-line panic when Hagrid decided Harry was to be the first student to approach the beast. A sideways glance to Jack confirmed that she wasn't the only one nervous about this arrangement…and the subsequent smirk told her that she was on her own unless things got bad beyond control.

Robin slid to the back of the group of children, where she could disappear without notice if necessary. From there she held her breath as Harry slowly approached the hippogriff, following Hagrid's instructions carefully. After a few tense moments, Robin smiled—if the creature would allow Harry to ride him, then everything was okay.

The same could not be said, however, for when Malfoy tried to approach the hippogriff. Now it was Robin's turn to smirk at Jack as his charge was knocked to the ground, screaming in terror. The little twerp really did scream like a girl.

The children trailed out of the clearing as Hagrid heaved Malfoy off the ground to take him to the infirmary. Robin waited in the back till they were up the trail before turning to the hippogriff and giving it a low, sweeping bow. No harm in trying to stay on the good side of a fellow mythological creature.

Night fell on Hogwarts, and Puck came to life. The sprite cast a quick Glamour over her bed to give it the appearance that Robin Fellows was sleeping quietly—just in case one of the other girls woke during the night. Invisible, she stalked through the dim halls of Hogwarts, mentally feeling around for Jack. Puck knew that her counterpart would be wandering around somewhere—she just wasn't sure where. They had established beforehand that they would need to determine if Illyria was lurking somewhere around the school itself, or if she was just hiding out in the forest. Night was the best time to wander around the grounds unnoticed; even better, it was the fey's natural playtime.

It didn't take long for Puck to track Jack to a portion of the roof overlooking the forest. The pooka sat with his legs daggling over the edge, smoking a cigarette. Without a word, Puck slid up next to him. The two sat in silence for a few moments, Puck starring longingly at Jack's cigarette.

"Oh god, give me one of those," she said finally, reaching over at the pack in his hands. Jack put them in his other hand and extended it out of her reach.

"What's the magic word?" he asked teasingly. Puck glared at him.

"Now," she answered. "Before I take them from you and turn you into a cockroach." Jack smiled and handed the pack over. Puck pulled one out, snapped her fingers to produce a flame, and took a long drag off it. Tilting her head up, she exhaled the smoke into the night air.

"This place gets to you too?" Jack asked nonchalantly. Puck smiled to herself, flicking the ash from her cigarette and taking another drag from it.

"Glad to see I'm not the only one," she answered. "What was it for you?"

Jack thought a moment, inhaling on his cigarette, before answering. "Had to sit in a history class taught by a ghost," he started. "When I flipped through the book, I saw a whole section devoted to faeries. Doesn't seem like they care for us too much."

"They don't," Puck answered. "Haven't for years." Jack flicked away the end of his used cigarette and pulled out a new one.

"Why is that anyway?" he asked. "Don't think I've ever heard the whole story."

Puck shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know the whole story myself," she replied. "I know it started back before the War. The legend goes that the first wizards were given their power by the High Fey, when they realized that the world was becoming too populated for the faeries to care for it by themselves. Humans were having too big of an impact on nature, so wizards were given power so that they could help control the mortal influence of things. And we were in good standing for a long while, up till the War. No one's really sure what happened, but we think that when the Courts split, the UnSeelies went and started causing so much trouble among the mortals that the wizards just turned on all of us. It didn't help that we didn't go to their aid, but Oberon had enough on his hands trying to keep his own court from falling apart. By the time we thought to start controlling things on the mortal end, a few wizard generations had gone by and they had forgotten what we once were. It would seem that the mortal memory is as short as their lifespan."

Jack mulled over this as Puck finished off her cigarette. "Well, that explains Oberon's paranoia," he said. Puck laughed and nodded.

"I'd venture to say that Dumbledore is the only one here with the power to truly do anything to either of us," she answered. "Oberon just doesn't want us to do anything more to give them reason to dislike us. He's always had some level of regret about letting our relationship with the wizards deteriorate so much." With a grin, she reached over and snatched another of Jack's cigarette. "Personally, I never saw what the big deal was. And after seeing the wizards here, I say good riddance. They've lost a lot of their power over the years."

Jack just laughed. "My, aren't we the bitter one." This was met with an evil glare.

"Wait till you've had Divination," she deadpanned. They sat smoking quietly after that. When they were both about done, Jack sighed.

"I guess we should be off looking for Illyria," he said. Puck just shrugged.

"Ah, it can wait till tomorrow. We can wander around a bit, get more familiar with the grounds. Then I'm gonna pop into town and see if I can't find some sort of alcohol to bring back. We're gonna need a stash."

Jack grinned madly. "You thinkin' about getting a bit of a wobble on?"

Puck laughed manically. "Oh yes. If we're to spend too much time in this place, we're going to need it."


	4. Girdle Round the Earth

A/N: Okay people, I know you're out there—I can hear you breathing. Reviews would be wonderful, guys. Enjoy!

* * *

Of all of the classes that Robin had been looking forward to, Potions was certainly at the top of her list. After learning that it was the class taught by Severus Snape, the oh-so serious teacher she'd noticed at the feast. It was always the serious ones that were the most fun to play with. Not that she was _planning_ any mischief…but a puck never passed up an opportunity.

From the moment she entered the classroom, Robin could feel the fear in her classmates. Nearly everyone (with the exception of Slytherin students) was on edge, looking around nervously and whispering quietly, always casting glances toward the door. Malfoy was one of the few students at ease, though he was clearly enjoying playing up his hippogriff injury. His arm was in a sling, and a few girls would stop and ask him how he was feeling. Robin spotted Jack sitting just behind him looking bored. The sprite rolled his eyes as Malfoy poured out for sympathy, and Robin smothered a laugh—it would seem that Jack was not enjoying his company very much.

The class dissolved into silence as a tall dark figure slammed into the room. Suddenly, Severus Snape was in their presence, striding up to the front of the classroom. When he reached the front, he turned and appraised his class with a glare, before barking out instructions on the Shrinking Potion they were going to make. Robin sat next to Hermione in utter confusion, staring at the ingredients before her. Why the hell would you need a potion to shrink something? One blast of Glamour and the job was done. But as Snape began to stalk down the aisles, the disguised sprite quickly began to copy Hermione, all the while thinking that none of these herbs or plants looked the same here as in the forest, and some of them she knew by very different names.

As they worked, a particular little herb caught Robin's eye, and she couldn't help but grin. The wizards obviously had no idea that this herb combined with wild mushrooms and a little magic could produce the most amazing experience…one particular night with the mermen came to mind. Feeling Jack's gaze, she turned to see him holding up the same herb and raising an eyebrow at her. She quickly smothered her chortle as Snape paused by her table and glared. Fortunately, some commotion between Malfoy and Ron caught his attention before he had a chance to say anything.

The real trouble didn't begin until Snape decided that it was time to test their concoctions. For some reason, he picked Neville to go first. Robin couldn't help but feel sorry for the lad as all eyes suddenly turned to him. Snape rolled his eyes as Neville stuttered a bit, too frightened to know where to begin. Suddenly, the teacher scooped up Neville's toad Trevor.

"How about this? If Longbottom's potion works, then his toad will be reduced to the size of a tadpole. If not, then it will die a horribly painful death." Snape dangled the toad by one leg over the cauldron to the gasps of the other children. Robin slid around till she was close enough to have the toad in clear sights, and just before the animal was released, she breathed out a small Glamour, covering it with a cough, and sent it toward Trevor. The toad turned into a parakeet just as Snape released it and flittered up to the rafters.

The Gryffindors cheered at the miraculous escape, but their celebration didn't last long as Snape whirled around, glaring at each of his students in turn. "Alright, which one of you did it?" he snarled. Everyone hushed up quickly, and Robin painted on her best innocent face. It could fool just about anyone, with the exception of Oberon. "Well?"

"Squawk! Snape is a moron," Trevor called. The class giggled as Snape's face went red.

"Quiet!" he commanded, which shut most of the class up quickly.

"Squawk! Snape sleeps with a nightlight," the bird answered. Of course, this just set the class off again.

"I said quiet!" Snape bellowed. Unfortunately, Harry and Ron had a harder time putting a cork in their laughter this time. When their laughter continued after the others had quieted, Snape zoomed in on them.

"So, you think this is funny, do you, Potter?" Snape spat. The two immediately quieted. "I suppose it was one of you who thought up this little prank."

"But we haven't even learned how to transform living animals yet," Ron squeaked out. Snape smiled a very disturbing little smile.

"But I suppose that would be the sort of thing that a particular know-it-all would be able to tell you," he answered, turning his glare toward Hermione. Robin quickly realized that her prank was going to get her charges in trouble, and she couldn't let them take the fall for something they hadn't done…that was just rude. She thought a moment, then smiled to herself, and in the next moment, let Trevor take care of the rest.

"Squawk! Look under Malfoy," he said. Snape, as well as most of the class, looked at the blond boy, who looked utterly bewildered. Snape stalked over to him and pulled something from under his chair. It was their textbook from Transfiguration, open and bookmarked to the page about turning one animal into another. Snape glared at Malfoy.

"But…that's not…I didn't…" Malfoy stuttered. Snape merely snapped the textbook closed and dropped it on the desk.

"Twenty points from Slytherin," was all he said, before going up to his desk. "Class dismissed."

The students lost no time clearing out of the classroom. Jack gave Robin a sideways look and knocked into her on the way out, causing her books to fall to the floor. She seized the opportunity to fall to the back of the crowd, and ducked out of the classroom just long enough for it to clear. Robin put her books on the floor and looked around, making sure the coast was clear, before going about her business. A blink of an eye, and she was in her own form, invisible to any mortal who passed her. She stepped back inside the classroom and whistled. Trevor flapped down to her arm, and she hurried outside again. A blast of Glamour and a few moments later, Robin Fellows ran down the hallway, calling for Neville and the others to wait up.

Several of the Gryffindors had been walking together, surrounding Neville, who was worried about Trevor and if he would be able to change him back. Just as the others were assuring him that they'd think of something, and that maybe Professor McGonagall could help, Robin ran up, panting, and holding the newly transformed Trevor, who was happily croaking in her hands.

"I found him hopping outside the classroom," she said, handing him to Neville. Everyone perked up and started walking again.

"So, was that you then? Did you turn him back?" Hermione asked Robin. The disguised sprite laughed.

"Don't be ridiculous, Hermione. Where would I have learned to do something like that? I'm nowhere near that talented. Why, I thought that it might have been you!" Robin answered, innocence and laughter in her eyes. The others laughed too, because it was ridiculous to think that the quiet new girl who hadn't even been at Hogwarts before now, could know enough magic to be able to do a thing like transform a toad into a bird. Absolutely ridiculous.

* * *

A rattling wardrobe stood before the students as something banged around inside, obviously trying to escape. Students from Gryffindor and Slytherin eyed it with caution as their newest professor grinned at them. "What can you tell me about a boggart?" he asked. Robin continued to watch the wardrobe as Hermione rattled off a book memorized answer about what a boggart was. Boggarts. Wonderful. She could practically feel Jack bristling in the back.

Under normal conditions, Robin wouldn't have been worried about a boggart. Puck's natural state was one of laughter, and boggarts either steered clear of her or were dealt with quickly. But as Robin, a boggart was dangerous. They weren't just shapeshifters, but mind-readers. Boggarts could poke into one's mind to discover their deepest fear. And if a boggart were to look into Jack and Robin's mind, it would find that they were not wizard children, but faeries, and there was a good chance that it would blow their cover.

Robin was shuffled into line as the students prepared to face off with the boggart. She had vaguely heard Professor Lupin going over the spell that the wizards used for boggarts (not a bad one—at least they were smart enough to know to use laughter against it). She ended up between Ron and Harry, a few kids back from the front of the line. That left her precious little time to figure out what she was going to do. As Lupin released the boggart, Robin felt something inside her shift, putting her on edge. This was a creature of the UnSeelie Court, an enemy of Oberon's, and therefore, an enemy of Puck's. And it was just a few feet away…

The boggart went from being Professor Snape, to a mummy, to a banshee…one student after another faced off with the boggart, defeating it with their new spell. Before she knew it, Ron had taken the legs off of his spider, and Robin was at the front of the line.

Though the line had been moving fairly quickly before, everything froze when Robin hit the front. The boggart, which had been flopping on the floor, stilled, and Robin felt it narrow in on her. She could feel it poking around in her mind. When facing a human, it only took the boggart a split second to know their fear, because humans tend to wear their fears much closer to the surface. But Robin was a sprite, and a jester at that—if she had to pick something that she was afraid of, she wasn't sure that she would be able to. At least not without her acting serious, and that rarely happened.

Robin felt the boggart smile in her mind, and she felt her heart drop. Oh yes, it knew what she was, and after a line of wizard children, it certainly knew what her game was too. The boggart twisted in on itself, becoming a shadow of blackness. Slowly, a woman stood, the blackness wrapping around her into a flowing dress. The class fell into silence, starring at this tall pale woman who was as chilling as she was beautiful. Robin recognized the form and suppressed a shiver. The boggart had turned to Nicnivin, the queen of the UnSeelie Court. But it seemed that the boggart wasn't through. The faux queen reached into her wraps and pulled out a bulky object that caused cries of disgust from the students behind Robin. The sprite found herself starring at the severed head of her king. 'Hobgoblin,' the boggart hissed in her mind, 'look what you did.'

Robin wasn't afraid at the sight of the boggart—no matter what it turned in to, she knew that it was just an image. But hearing Nicnvin's voice in her mind and seeing that particular sight awoke old memories that quickly sparked into anger. How dare this lowly boggart…

A murmur was rumbling through the class, and Lupin had regained his voice and was encouraging Robin to go at the boggart with the spell. All of that faded to the background as the sprite's anger roared in her ears. She could feel Jack mentally thumping her in the back of the head, begging her not to do anything stupid. Fortunately, the long sleeves of her robe hid the sparks of Glamour that were swirling around her arms. Robin narrowed her eyes at the boggart, and she could feel it take a step back, out of her mind. It seemed to have realized that it may have crossed a line.

Before she could even think, Robin thrust up her arm and a force of green Glamour flew from the tip of her wand. The stream hit the boggart in the chest and threw it back through the air. The wardrobe rocked back as the boggart hit its interior with full force. The doors flung closed behind it, and Robin lowered her arm. As silence filled the classroom, reality settled in on her. 'Oh crap,' she thought.

Lupin was the first to find his voice. "Umm…I think that's enough for today. Class dismissed." Just when Robin thought she might be home free, his voice halted her. "Robin, could I see you please?"

A few of the students cast a glance towards her as they exited the class. Jack looked at her with caution in his eyes—he knew as well as she did that they were on thin ice. As the last student left the room, Robin turned to face Lupin, who was leaning up against his desk. "That was…very…interesting. Might I inquire as to what…_exactly_ that was?"

Robin paused, looking down and shuffling her feet. She needed to play this smart, as close to her cover as she could. Regain the image of being small and meek. The straight man. Right. "I…don't exactly know, sir," she answered, sounding confused and repentant. "My best guess is I…I don't feeling scared, so I guess I got angry instead and just sort of…lost control." This last part was said in a rush, and Robin peaked out from under her bangs at the professor as innocently as she could, praying all the while that he was buying her act.

Lupin studied his student for a moment, debating with himself. On the one hand, she seemed quite sincere in her explanation—such as it was. On the other hand, however, he'd never seen anything quite like what he'd just witnessed, from any wizard, child or not. But Lupin had always liked to give people the benefit of the doubt. He smiled kindly at the girl. "Alright then. Best get on then. Don't want to make you late." Robin gave him a small smile back, before turning and leaving the classroom as quickly as possible without it seeming obvious that she was that eager to leave.

Once outside the room, Robin breathed a sigh of relief. The sound of someone clearing their throat caused her to look of to the side. Jack stood there, leaning against a column, in his own form. He raised his eyebrows at her, and Robin rolled her eyes and headed toward him. Once she'd passed by the column, her disguise was shed, and Puck emerged on the other side.

"Well?" Jack asked. Now Puck raised an eyebrow at him.

"You should have just come inside," she answered, sliding to the ground. "It's not like he would have seen you."

"And if he'd made you?" Jack asked, squatting next to her. "I didn't want to be next. At least one of us is capable of keeping in character." He laughed sarcastically. "And you wanted Oberon to send you _alone_."

Puck glared at him. "Well he didn't make me." Her gaze turned dark. "And how did you expect me to react? That boggart is lucky to be in one piece."

Jack's look turned slightly more sympathetic. "It'll never happen," he said. "That bitch could never better Oberon, and you know it." Puck looked at the ground, and Jack angled his head around, trying to catch her gaze.

"It wasn't that," she said quietly. "It was what it said." Jack's brow crinkled in concern and confusion.

"What? What did it say?" he asked. Puck blinked her eyes a few times, almost as though to blink away tears.

"You know how all the hobgoblins sided UnSeelie during the war?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I was the only one who didn't. Obviously. Being tied to Oberon…made me different. But towards the end, Nicnivin…came to me with an offer. She said that I could have my run of the mortal world. No rules, no morals. I could be free," Puck explained slowly. "All I had to do was betray the one creature in all the world who trusted me completely and unequivocally." Now she looked up and met Jack's gaze. "My king."

She laughed bitterly, looking out into space. "Didn't do it, obviously. Couldn't. And I'm not a complete idiot. Even if I'd _wanted_ to, I knew that I couldn't destroy Oberon without destroying myself. But seeing that bitch holding his head…real or not, it's what could have happened."

Heavy silence descended on the two sprites. "No it's not," Jack answered forcefully. Puck looked up at him as he slid to the ground next to her. "Look, if it's one thing I'm certain of, it's that if there was ever a changeling and a master that were meant for each other, it's you and Oberon. The day that something happens that can tear you two apart…that's the day the universe will implode and cockroaches will build up their mighty empire." Half a beat later Puck burst out in laughter, the gloomy mood lifting. Jack patted her knee and started to get up.

"Now come on. I've got to get back to my ailing wimp." He leaned over to give Puck a hand up. "Honestly, can't we just let Illyria have that one?"

Puck sighed and shook her head, dusting off her pants. "For the last time, no. Now get on with it. It's almost time for dinner."

Jack snorted. "Yeah. You better hope Oberon doesn't find out you've been eating chocolate. We're going to get home and you're gonna be craving the stuff, and then what'll happen?" Puck just rolled her eyes and waved him off. A few moments later, Robin Fellows and Jack Polk were heading in opposite directions towards their respective houses.

* * *

Silence fell over the Gryffindor common room as Robin entered. Whispers and quiet conversation started as she meekly walked over to where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting. She looked rather embarrassed as she slid into a chair, staring at the floor. The trio exchanged glances, unsure of what to say. The new girl's unusual display of power had been the topic of conversation since they'd left class, as well as what was going to happen to her. "What did Professor Lupin say?" Harry asked, breaking the silence.

Robin looked up and gave a half-shrug. "Nothing really. Just let me go," she answered quietly. More glances were sent across the round table.

"Robin…what _was_ that?" Hermione asked. Robin opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, Seamus's voice piped up from the next table.

"Oy, Robin—do you think you could teach me to do that? That was wicked!"

"Yeah. Wish I could do that sort of thing in Potions. That would teach Snape a lesson," Neville added. Robin blushed and ducked her head.

"I don't really know what happened," she said, sticking to the same answer she'd given Lupin. "I just sort of…lost control, I guess." There were a few groans of disappointment, and a subtle sigh of relief filled the air. Nothing to worry about after all.

"So what was that thing anyway?" Ron asked. "That woman…gave me chills, even before she pulled out the head."

This Robin was prepared for. "My uncle used to tell us all sorts of scary stories when we were kids," she said. "He had a book with all of these old drawings and stories about wicked creatures. The one that always scared me most was about this evil queen who cut off her enemies' heads. There was this one gruesome picture of her holding a head that gave me nightmares for years."

Words of support came next, and inwardly Robin breathed a sigh of relief. Ah yes, her cover truly was safe. She was gaining the children's trust, and they suspected nothing was off about her. Now if they could just find some trace of Illyria…


	5. Your Servant shall do so

A/N: So, if there's anyone out there still reading this story, I'm terribly sorry for the long delay in updating. I lost my muse for awhile, and I haven't even read fanfiction in forever. Not to mention the mess that is my family…let's face it, having your father arrested for murder out of the blue kinda puts a damper on life.

Special thanks to my roommate, who provides me with Harry Potter knowledge and makes sure that I don't make too big of a fool of myself.

Chapter 5

"We have a problem."

Jack looked up from his nail file as Puck slid up next to him, a sour look on his face. "What is it now?" he asked.

Puck sighed heavily, pulling a cigarette from her pocket. "You know the trip to Hogsmeade is tomorrow," she started. Jack nodded.

"Yeah, I already got our permission forms forged away and everything," he answered, pulling the sheets from his own pockets. Puck took them, giving them the once over, nodding to herself before handing them back.

"Nice work. Perfect copies," she complimented, before turning back to the problem at hand. "Now here's the problem. Harry can't go on the trip; his uncle didn't sign his form."

Jack set the file to his nails again. "Yeah, so?"

Puck rolled her eyes, hopping up onto the railing next to him. "The thing is, everyone else _is_ going. Now, the children who go to the town will be exposed, without the protection of Hogwarts. But Harry will be here by himself, which might make him a temptation to Illyria. She may decide to go ahead and try to snatch him while he's alone. Either way, we're stuck. I can't be in two places at once, but both groups will be at risk. There's no way of telling if, or who, Illyria will go after."

The pooka nodded slowly, getting a feel for their situation. "Well, obviously, one of us has to stay here."

"That's what I was thinking," Puck answered, flicking away her cigarette and turning towards him a little. "The way I see it, if you can keep an eye on Ron and Hermione in the village, then I can stay here with Harry. But you're going to have to be careful to watch Malfoy, and the other two without raising suspicions. Think you can handle that?"

Jack scoffed at her. "Of course I can handle it. No problem. But what are you going to do if Illyria does try something?"

Puck snorted. "Oh, I can deal with Illyria. She's too much of a loony to do any real damage."

* * *

Robin sat on a bench, pretending to read a book, as the students gathered from their trip to Hogsmeade. She watched as Professor McGonagall turned away Harry, despite his last minute effort to join the trip. As the students started to leave, she briefly made eye contact with Jack, before turning her attention back to Harry, who was coming her way.

"You get left behind too?" Harry looked up, noticing the girl for the first time. He walked over and sat next to her.

"Yeah. McGonagall wouldn't sign my form. What about you? I thought that you had yours."

Robin sighed. "Yeah, I _had_ it. Then Jack got a hold of it and threw it into the fireplace. I knew I should have asked my dad to send it straight to the school."

Harry shook his head. "Rotten bugger. He and Malfoy really are suited for each other."

The sprite smiled. "You have no idea."

Harry pushed himself off the bench, pulling his jacket tighter against the autumn air. "Come on. Let's head back inside. There has to be something to do around here."

They headed into the castle, wandering around a bit aimlessly. It felt a bit empty without the older students around. As they were passing by Professor Lupin's classroom, a loud sound from inside drew their attention. Harry and Robin exchanged a look before poking their heads into the partially open door. They could see Lupin sitting on a trunk, angrily forcing the locks into place. "Is everything alright, Professor?" Harry asked.

Lupin looked up as he stood, brushing off his pants. "Ah, Harry. Come in, come in." He picked some books off of the floor as they entered. "Hello Robin," he greeted as he turned back to them, only noticing her as she stepped in after Harry. He continued to pick up various items that were strewn around the room.

"So, what are you two up to today? You didn't go into town with the others?"

"No, sir. We didn't have our forms," Harry answered.

"Ah, yes. McGonagall does love her paperwork," Lupin said with a grin. Robin looked around at the classroom, which rather looked like a tornado had come through.

"If you don't mind, Professor…what happened here?" she asked quietly. Lupin straightened as he gathered several rolls of parchment from the floor.

"Oh, this? Nothing really; my resident redcap just threw a bit of a temper tantrum." Lupin's attention was drawn over their heads to the figure in the doorway. "Severus, come in."

Snape stalked his way into the classroom, giving Harry and Robin a dark look as he entered. He carried a large cup that had billows of smoking rising from it. "What would you like me to do with this, Remus?" he asked, somewhat bitterly. Lupin looked around, his arms still full of parchment, trying to find a good place.

"Ah, just…put it there on the desk, Severus," he answered, gesturing with his head. Snape carefully placed the cup on the table, before turning and regarding Lupin and the children critically.

"You'll want to drink that straight away, Remus, while it's hot," he said dourly.

"Yes, yes. I'll take care of it. Thank you for your help, Severus," Lupin answered, clearly dismissing the other professor from the room. Snape started to leave, pausing briefly to glare at Harry and Robin. Harry stared back, meeting the professor's gaze, as Robin's head poked up from behind a table. She straightened nervously, holding the rolls of parchment that she'd gone to retrieve that had rolled under the table. Snape stalked out, carrying out the tense atmosphere with him. Everyone seemed to let out a breath they didn't realize they'd been holding.

"Now then," Lupin said, walking over to take the parchment from Robin.

"Professor, what is that?" Harry asked, gesturing towards the potion.

"Oh, just something that Severus is helping me with. It's a rather complex potion, so I asked him to mix it up for me. It's perfectly harmless," Lupin answered, setting the parchment on his desk and picking up the cup. He raised it towards the children in a toast gesture, before downing it quickly. The man shuddered, making a horrible face at the disgusting taste. "Pity that sugar renders it completely useless."

Robin studied Lupin curiously. The man had put her on edge ever since she'd arrived at Hogwarts, despite his cheery demeanor. There was a distinctive scent about him that set her more feral instincts off. Taking a deep breath, she was beginning to remember what it was. The ingredients in the potion in combination with his natural scent were bringing it into focus.

"I just remember, I need to go work on my Potions homework," she said quickly, briefly touching Harry's arm. "I'll see you later."

Harry nodded as she started off, Lupin waving at her from his desk. She exited as quickly as she could without looking too suspicious.

Once outside the classroom, Robin sighed, heading down the corridor a ways before shedding her disguise. This presented a whole new aspect to worry about. She shook her head, trying not to let the most recent complication bother her too much. Werewolves weren't easy to deal with, but unless she was mistaken, the potion that Snape had given Lupin would make him harmless. She and Jack would just have to make sure that they avoided Lupin's office during the full moon. It would be one thing if he smelled them as a regular wolf; but if he was keeping his human mind in wolf form, then he might would be able to recognize it later. It wouldn't do for him to put two and two together, especially after Robin's display against the boggart. No, that wouldn't do at all.

* * *

Puck shook herself slightly, and headed down towards the kitchens. There was something that she had been meaning to take care of, but had yet to do so. She decided that now was as good a time as any to go have a talk to the house elves.

Dobby puttered around the kitchen, surrounded by his fellow hobs, going about his work in the same nervous manner that was accustomed to his kind. He took a pan of cookie dough from the counter and turned to place it in the oven behind him. A sudden noise from the counter startled him just as he was leaning over, causing him to shout and drop the pan.

"'ello Dobby," Puck said, hopping up onto the counter and snagging an apple from the bowl next to her. Dobby clutched his chest with one hand and whirled around.

"Robin Goodfellow!" he exclaimed with wide eyes, taking a hesitant step forward. He looked around nervously. "What are you doing here?"

Puck shrugged and took a bite out of her apple. "What's the matter, cousin? You seem a little jumpy."

Dobby's eyes darted around and he wrung his hands together. "N-n-nothing's wrong. You just…took me by surprise, is all." The female sprite smiled. "So…what brings the Puck to Hogwarts?"

With a mischievous grin, Puck leaned forward. In a loud stage whisper, she answered, "I'm here on a mission from Lord Oberon." The hob's eyes widened and he took a nervous step back.

"Lord Oberon? Oh…what business brings the Fairy King to the mortal realm?"

Puck straightened and took another bite from her apple. "Apparently Illyria has targeted four of the students here. I've been sent to look after them, and to try and find out Illyria." The sprite narrowed her gaze at the hob. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you Dobby?"

The former house elf looked from one side to the other nervously, realizing that the other elves were carefully ignoring the conversation. "N-no! Of c-course not! We would never help one of the dark fey!"

Puck studied the hob for a moment, then nodded. "I thought as much," she said, hopping off the counter. "But if you hear any whisperings going on…"

Dobby nodded franticly. "Oh yes, yes. If any of us should hear anything, I shall be certain to let you know." Puck turned to leave, satisfied with his answer, when the elf spoke up again.

"These children that Illyria is after…one of them wouldn't happen to be…Harry Potter, would it?"

The female sprite eyed her cousin curiously. "He is. Why do you ask?"

Dobby wrung his hands. "Well, I…I only hope that the Puck realizes the importance that Harry Potter holds to the house elves." The nervous sprite looked at the ground for a moment, then straightened and looked Puck in the eye with a gaze of determination.

"The house elves are at Lord Oberon's service for as long as he should need us." Puck smiled at the smaller elf.

"And I'm certain that he will appreciate it," she answered. Puck started to leave again, but remembered something important. "The wizards are unaware of my true presence here. I've been hiding among the students. If you should hear anything, be sure not to approach me in a way that will…oh, what do they say…blow my cover. Is that understood?"

Dobby nodded anxiously. Puck nodded at him and left the kitchen with a grin. At least she had a few extra eyes and ears about the castle now, all of which she knew would be dedicated to protecting at least one of her charges. It wasn't much, but it was a step in the right direction.


	6. Through the Forest I Have Gone

A/N: So, since no one is really reviewing (aside from my wonderful friend Freya), I'm going to assume that there are at least a few Harry Potter fans who like this. I see those hits, people. I can hear you breathing!

So, please review. Whether you love it or hate it. Don't just stand there, kay?

And yeah, nothing belongs to me. No suing—it's not nice.

My apologies for the long delay—this chapter has actually been finished for about two weeks now, and typed for at least one…I've just been lazy. Sorry. That happens when you stare at a computer screen for 8 hours at works—you don't want to be on your own nearly as much.

Chapter 6

"What happened to you?"

Harry looked up at Robin's question as he trudged into the Gryffindor common room. The boy was soaked from head to toe, with many splotches of mud covering his robes. Harry held up his broomstick in explanation. "Quidditch," he answered, shaking his head to get rid of the excess water.

"Ah yes," Robin answered dryly. "Quidditch." The distaste in her voice caused Ron to give her a _look_.

"What have you got against Quidditch?" Ron asked.

Robin shrugged her shoulders, settling back into her armchair with her book of monsters. "Nothing, I guess. It just seems a bit absurd to me, chasing around after balls on brooms. It's nothing you can't do just as well on the ground."

Ron looked at her as though she had just suggested that Snape become headmaster. "On the ground? Where's the fun in that?" Robin just shook her head.

"Well why you would want to fly around like a bird is beyond me," she answered. "Glad I've never had any use for those cursed things."

The boys exchanged a look that clearly said that they thought she was mad, while Hermione just looked up at her comment, confused. "Wait—you mean you've never flown on a broom?"

Robin looked up from her monster book (where she was having great fun looking up creatures she knew to look for things to blackmail them with). Something in Hermione's voice told the sprite that she wasn't going to like where this was going. "No…like I said, I've never had any reason to."

The boys looked at Hermione too, wondering what was going on. "But that's impossible!" Hermione exclaimed.

A small bit of Robin started to panic. "Why? What does it matter?"

"Yeah, what's the deal, Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Every student has to at least know _how_ to fly a broom!" Hermione said. "That's why they teach it to all of the first years straight away!"

"But Neville doesn't know how to fly," Robin interjected, desperate for a way out of this particular conversation. Hermione just shook her head.

"But at least he knows the basics. And he learned it here, so they know where he stands on it." The young witch turned back to Robin. "Didn't they ask if you knew how to fly when you transferred in?"

The sprite opened and closed her mouth a few times, at a loss of what to say. Lie to get the topic dropped? But what would sound believable? Finally, she just shrugged. "My parents took care of most of that," Robin said. "I'm not sure what they were told."

Hermione squared her shoulders and sat back in her chair, turning her gaze to Harry. She was clearly not going to just let this go. "Harry, aren't there school brooms that are available to students?"

Harry squirmed a little. "Well, yeah…they're in the shed, but…"

"Then it's settled," Hermione interrupted. "Tomorrow we're going to teach Robin to fly."

"Wait…what?" Robin starred at her roommate in shock. Ron just let out a groan.

"But why, Hermione?" he moaned. "If the teachers cared, they'd have set her up with Madame Hooch for lessons." He gave Robin a semi-apologetic look. "No offense, Robin, but I don't feel like wasting my Sunday morning like that."

"No, no, it's okay," Robin jumped in. "Really, Hermione, it's alright. I'll be fine. Like Ron said—if Dumbledore cared, they would have set me up for lessons."

Hermione just shook her head. "But what if they were expecting you to learn on your own? Or what if they forgot and go to ask you later? At least this way you'll be able to tell them that you already know how."

"But I don't want to be any trouble…" Robin said weakly. Hermione gave her a look that said that the subject was closed.

"Don't give it a thought. Between the three of us, it'll take no time at all. After all, we have the best Seeker Gryffindor's ever seen on our side," she said, giving Harry a smile.

Robin tried to smile too, though it didn't meet her eyes. This was not going to be pretty…

* * *

Puck stalked up to Jack that night, snatching his cigarette out of his hand without so much as a 'by your leave.' He looked at her curiously as she took a long drag off of it and tapped her foot impatiently. "We're leaving," she said abruptly. Jack merely raised his eyebrows and pulled out another cigarette.

"Come again?"

"We're leaving," Puck repeated. "I've had it; we're done. We're going home, and telling Oberon that there's been no sign of Illyria, or anything else UnSeelie of any kind. In fact, we'll tell him that Illyria has been sighted in France. No one is going to give a rat's arse if she goes after some French bloke. We'll grab a couple of bottles of Honeysuckle wine and head for Tahiti. After this, Oberon owes me anyway." She took another long drag off of the cigarette and threw it off the side of the tower, before looking at Jack expectantly. "Well?"

The pooka took his time lighting his new cigarette. As he took a puff from it, he turned his attention back to Puck. The older sprite was on edge about something, and that didn't happen often…there was a good chance he was going to get to have some fun with this. "What are you going off about?" he asked calmly. Puck bristled even more, and began patting down her pockets, trying to find something.

"I let it slip to the kiddies that I've never used a broom before. Now Hermione is hell-bent on teaching me," she said shortly. Jack raised an eyebrow at this as she began to pace the roof, absently pulling on her out-of-control curls.

"So?"

"So…so they want to teach me how to fly! They want me to get on some thin little half-dead twig and go soaring up hundreds of feet with nothing but lots of air between me and the ground. Why would _anybody_ want to do anything so, so…suicidal?!"

Jack thought about that for a moment. "Do I really need to point out to you that we're immortal?"

Puck scowled at him. "Oh…that's not the point."

Now it was Jack's turn to slowly pull from his cigarette. He stood there thoughtfully for a few moments, watching Puck move and mutter under her breath fragments of various plans. Finally, he walked towards her slowly, a mischievous smile playing on his face.

"Do you mean to tell me," he began slowly, moving in close "that the great Puck—one of the most famous faeries among mortals in all of time…is afraid of heights?" The last part he practically whispered in her ear, in a tone which could have been mistaken as seducing.

The female sprite lifted her chin and crossed her arms across her chest. "_No_," she said emphatically. "I'm not…_afraid_ of heights. I simply don't relish the idea of being a long ways up in the air with nothing beneath me. That's all."

"Right." Jack blew out the end of his cigarette and stuck it behind his ear. "Well, I don't think Oberon will terribly relish us ducking out early just because you're in a mess with your chickies."

Puck pinched the bridge of her nose, plopping down on the roof with a sigh. "I know. I'm just going to have to deal with it." With her head in her hands, she stared out over the dark expanse of forest. "Though it would be nice to have one of those oblivigous buds…just make 'em forget the whole thing… "

Jack laughed and sat down beside her. "If I'm not allowed to put a sign around Malfoy's neck and toss him to the UnSeelies, then I don't think you can wipe out the memories of your kiddies."

"Damn."

* * *

"Oh, come _on_, Robin!" Hermione exclaimed, practically dragging the girl onto the practice field. "It's not that bad."

"Yes it is," Robin muttered under her breath, too low for the other girl to hear.

"Can we get this over with already?" Ron called. He and Harry had gone ahead to the field, and were waiting none too patiently for the girls. Robin finally jerked her arm from Hermione's grasp.

"Really, Hermione, we don't have to do this," Robin protested. Hermione shut them both up quickly with a Look, before turning to Harry.

"I think it'll be best if you go up with her, Harry. That way you can help if anything goes wrong."

"You mean so that he can keep me from falling and smashing my head open on the ground," Robin grumbled. Harry just shook his head and handed her a broom.

"I tried to find one that wouldn't give you too much trouble," he said. Robin held the broom as though it were going to give her the plague. At her dubious expression, he put his hand on her arm. "It's really not that bad. And I'll be right there next to you the entire time."

Robin took a deep breath and tried to still her nerves. Maybe this wouldn't be as painful as she thought. After all, Harry wouldn't let anything bad happen, if he could help it.

"It's no good, Potter. No way you'll get my wuss of a cousin on that thing. She won't even look out of the windows in the tower!" Robin turned to see Jack coming down the hill with Malfoy and gang in tow.

The sprite's eyes narrowed briefly, wondering what the hell Jack was playing at. It was all she could do not to blast that grin off his face with the strongest burst of Glamour she had. As it was she had to pull her sleeves down tighter around her hands to keep the wild green sparks from being seen. With some effort, Robin managed to tone her glare down from blatant hatred to hurt frustration.

"Go away, Jack," she said, trying to keep the venom from her voice and replace it with tears. The pooka just smiled wider, his malicious grin matched by Malfoy.

"Oh no. I wouldn't miss this for the _world_, cousin. And I've promised Malfoy and the boys that it should be a very good show." Jack moved a little closer and began explaining to the others. "She's so scared of heights, you see. I've bet Crabbe here five Galleons that she won't even be able to make it a few feet off the ground before fainting from fright."

"Yeah, we've been taking bets as to how long it'll take the little mudblood to crash and burn," Malfoy sneered. "And how long it'll take her to take the great Harry Potter down with her."

Harry moved forward, stepping up to Malfoy's challenge. "No one's going to crash, Malfoy."

He grabbed his broom and turned to Robin. "Come on, we'll show them."

"Um...Harry..." she started meekly, but stopped at his look. There was fire in his eyes, and glancing back at Jack, she felt the same fire start to boil in her blood. She couldn't let her fear get in the way of proving the bullies wrong.

Robin gripped her broom more confidently and followed Harry. "Alright," he started, "hold it out in front of you, and let your mind go. Think of flying. Then, let the broom do the work." Harry held his broom out and demonstrated, hovering just a few feet off the ground.

The sprite took a deep breath, and copied his actions. To her surprise, the broom actually lifted her up next to Harry. She wobbled a little before stabilizing. Robin looked up and grinned at Harry as she kept a death grip on her broom.

"Oh, that's nothing," Malfoy called. "Get her up to the hoops, Potter."

Robin looked up to the Quidditch hoops towering above them. Harry shot her a look, silently asking if she was ready. With a gulp, she nodded, and the pair slowly ascended.

"Don't worry," Harry said, sliding up next to her with ease. "I won't let you fall." Robin just nodded, her knuckles turning white against the broom. She kept her head up, trying not to look down at the trees that were getting smaller and smaller beneath her.

The school broom that Robin was on started to buckle and sway the higher they flew. Leaning low, she whispered, "If you don't behave, I'm going to turn you into kindling." The broom immediately straightened and continued on its path.

With a small smile, she leveled off next to Harry at the Quidditch hoops. "What would be a good way to show them up?" She asked with a mischievous smile. Now that she was actually in the air, her courage was growing, and she was ready to get the better of Jack for his little trick.

Harry grinned back, proud to see that she'd found her nerve. "Feel up for a dive?" he asked. Robin glanced down briefly, and took a deep breath. Well...this flying thing wasn't that bad, and the look on Jack's face would be priceless.

"Ready when you are," she said bravely. Harry nodded.

"Just follow my lead," he said, swooping in front of her. Not stopping to think, Robin followed him into a heart-stopping dive. The pair aimed low, and just barely missed the heads of the children below, before circling around and landing near Hermione and Ron.

Ron and Hermione grinned and ran over to them while Malfoy glared and Jack collected his money from Crabbe. Robin stepped off her broom with a smile, and tried not to look too shaken. As they started to leave the field, she turned to the silenced Slytherins.

"I don't suppose that Jack bothered to mention that he never learned to fly either, hmm Malfoy?" she cooed. She smiled sweetly at Jack's deer-in-headlights expression. "His parents never trusted him enough to let him anywhere near a broom." As she walked past them, Robin handed her school broom off to Jack.

"See you later...cousin."

* * *

"That was entirely uncalled for," Jack grumbled as he squatted next to Puck. She was perched on top of a gargoyle, staring out into the darkness.

"You deserved it," she answered off-handedly, her gaze not wavering from the forest. "You were lucky I didn't blast you away right then and there. What were you thinking, trotting Malfoy out there?"

"Thought it might be worth it," Jack said with a smile. "And I didn't want to risk you freaking out and bolting at the last minute."

At this Puck shot him a side-long look. "Like I would really have run. Oberon would have had me reeling for weeks." She returned her stare to the forest. "I've only made Oberon truly angry once or twice in my life. And I've regretted it every time."

"Would have loved to have seen that," Jack murmured. He peered out into the night, trying to discern what it was that she was so fixated on. "What is it?"

"Don't you feel that?" she asked. The pooka looked closer, sending his senses onto high alert. The general darkness of the forest flooded his mind, but he tried to push past it to find what Puck was talking about. There did seem to be something, at the edge of the forest...

"What is that?" he asked softly. It felt familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Puck straightened and hissed slightly, her pointed ears flattening against her head. Before he could ask again, she was moving, jumping to the ledge below and heading rapidly towards the ground. Jack moved after her as she stalked off towards the clearing where Hagrid had Buckbeak tied up.

"Puck…" Jack started softly as he caught up to her. She cut him off with a finger and slowly pointed to a tree at the edge of the forest. The pooka followed her gaze, noticing a dark shape emerging against the tree's border.

The female sprite stalked towards it angrily, confidence and impatience permeating her scent. Jack followed close behind, still trying to discern exactly what it was that they were dealing with. He was less familiar with the UnSeelie creatures than Puck, and all he could tell was that it was alone and not incredibly powerful. It was not a trickster, per se…but not far off. What threw him was that its scent reminded him distantly of Puck.

A soft hissing sound grew more audible as they approached, before turning to speech. "Hobgoblin," it jeered. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" A dark green warty being shroud in black emerged from the shadows.

"Bauchan," Puck spat, distaste filling her voice. She crossed her arms across her chest. "What are you doing here?"

The figure slinked a little closer, a snaky smile crossing its face. "I could ask you the same thing, poppet. A hobgoblin with the reek of Seelie on her? That can only be the Puck, come out to play." The bauchan flicked his tongue between his lips. "But why the Puck would venture so far into the UnSeelie realm, this bogie would never know…unless she's decided to join her brothers at long last."

Anger flared on Puck's face, and a few tell-tale sparks of Glamour popped from her arms. "I believe I asked you a question, bogan," she said sharply, her eyes giving off a faint glow.

The bauchan tapped his fingers together mischievously. Jack raised his eyebrows at the creature's gall—even the pooka knew better than to mess with Puck when she was popping off this strong. "Ah…so she hasn't turned from the Seelie king. Pity…"

A burst of green Glamour slammed the bauchan against the tree. Puck closed the space between them in an instant, pushing her face in close to his. "Listen well, bauchan," she started, her tone low and dangerous. "You've caught me on a _very_ bad day. Jack here's put me in a _terrible_ mood, and I've just been wishing for someone to give me an excuse. So where my loyalties lie are none of your concern, alright?" She pushed in a little closer.

"All you need to worry about is how much it's going to hurt if you continue to try my patience."

A flash of fear crossed the bauchan's eyes, but it hid it quickly. Jack snorted and pulled out his nail file, leaning against a tree. He knew that voice of Puck's. That was _not_ a good voice.

The bauchan hid his fear quickly, though Puck and Jack had already seen it. "Perhaps I'm merely scooping out a spot for my new home," he purred. Then his gaze flicked to Buckbeak. "Or looking for a good dinner," he added, flicking his tongue against his lips.

Puck eyed him suspiciously. "No UnSeelie would openly look to stay so close to so many wizards," she said. "Not one with any sense."

"Ah…but there are things afoot to which the Puck knows not about," the bauchan answered. A slow cool smile spread across Puck's face.

"Oh, I think you'd be surprised by what I know." The sprite took a step back and looked over to Jack.

"What do you say, Jack?" she asked. "What shall we do with our new friend here?"

The pooka looked the green fellow over casually. "We could always dump him off over Cardiff," he said.

A dark look came into Puck's eyes, and this time the bauchan stepped back, not bothering to hide his fear. "No," she said softly. "I've got a much better idea."


	7. For I Must Now to Oberon

A/N: So, for anyone out there who is actually reading this story, I'm terribly sorry for the long wait. School's back in session, which seems to have kicked my muses in gear. It's amazing what a 16 hour course load will do to the creative juices. Anywho, enjoy!

* * *

The students headed out to one of their last Defense Against the Dark Arts classes of the term. Harry and Robin trailed behind an arguing Ron and Hermione as the red-head accused Hermione's cat of various atrocious cat crimes. Harry rolled his eyes at Robin and she smothered a giggle as they came up to the teacher's lounge where they had been practicing. They arrived to find the students huddled in the hall around the doorway, looking inside but not entering. 

What's going on?" Hermione asked as they made their way to the door. Neville pointed inside the room.

"That," he said shakily.

They looked inside to see a warty green creature in chains with a gag in its mouth, staring angrily at the children. It began to try to shout something at them when it caught sight of Robin, but it couldn't be understood though the gag, which had odd green sparks coming from it. Though it was sitting in the middle of the room, Professor Lupin was nowhere in sight.

"This was on the door," Neville added, handing Hermione a piece of parchment. In sprawling handwriting, it read:

To Professor Lupin,

Just leaving a little bogan for your students to have for target practice.

Hope they get some use from it.

A friend

The students stared at the note in confusion just as Lupin came up the hallway. "Well now, why are we all out here in the corridor, hmm?" he asked, making his way through the crowd. Harry handed him the note and pointed inside. Lupin's face grew serious as he read the note and looked at the creature.

"I want everyone to go back to the classroom and wait for me there," he ordered. The students started dispersing with a low level of chatter. As they were clearing, Snape came around the corner, catching Lupin's eye.

"Ah, Severus," he called, "Do you think you might have time to give me a hand here?"

Harry hung back slightly, noticing that Lupin's tone was a bit too cheerful. The trio and Robin were the last to leave, hanging around long enough to see the professors discussing the creature in strained whispers. Behind everyone's backs, Robin stuck her tongue out at the bogan, before following the others to the classroom.

* * *

Robin yawned as she came down the stairs to the Gryffindor common room. She had gotten up slowly as the other students eagerly got ready for their last trip to Hogsmeade before Christmas. The girl stopped short as she came to the bottom of the stair, to see Harry waiting for her, impatiently tapping his foot. 

As soon as he saw her, the wizard graded her arm and pulled her off towards the boy's staircase. "What is it?" she gasped as he dragged her towards his room.

Harry didn't say a word until they had reached the third year's room and he had firmly shut the door behind them. They he whirled around to her and asked in a hushed voice. "How would you like to go to Hogsmeade?"

Robin starred at him for a moment, mouth gaping like a fish. As he stepped away from her, she opened and closed her mouth a few times before finally managing sound.

"How?" she asked. Harry knelt at his trunk and started to undo the clasps.

"First, before I show you this, you have to swear not to breathe a word about it to anyone. Only Ron and Hermione know about it, and I'd rather no one else found out."

"I swear," she breathed, caught in the intensity of his gaze and voice. He starred at her a moment longer, before nodding and turning his attention back to his trunk. He dug around in it for a moment before pulling something out of the bottom. Holding it up, it appeared to be a large piece of shimmery silver fabric. It wasn't until he wrapped it around himself that she realized what it was.

"Oh my," Robin said, amazed, as she walked over and fingered the fabric below his bodiless head.

"Great, isn't it?" Harry said. "It's an Invisibility Cloak. It belonged to my father."

"Oh."

"Anyway…there's room for two, if we're careful."

Robin smiled, full of excitement at the proposed adventure. "Sounds lovely."

It took some finagling, but after a little practice they were able to walk comfortably under the cloak. It was lucky that Robin was smaller than Harry—it made it easier for her to stick close to him. Getting out of the castle wasn't difficult…until they ran into the Weasley twins.

Now Robin was standing, mostly forgotten, next to Harry as the twins finished explaining the Marauder's Map. Fortunately, it picked her up as a normal human, so 'Robin Fellows' had her own bubble next to Harry's. With a grin, she and Harry started off, still under the protection of the cloak.

It took careful navigation, and the passageway was so dark that they finally threw off the cloak as they started climbing the stairs. Robin kept one hand on Harry's back as they ascended in the inky darkness. Of course, her vision was fine, but one must keep up pretense. Finally, she heard Harry's head hit the cellar door, and she stopped short as they rearranged themselves under the cloak.

Stepping out into the candy shop, Robin wrapped a bit of Harry's shirt in her hand, enough so that she could pull him to a halt if necessary. They moved through the shop's crowd and out into the streets, where it was easier to move, and set off to find their friends.

"Wait here," Harry whispered, opening the cloak enough for Robin to slide out. They had spotted Ron and Hermione a little ways off, observing the Shrieking Shack, and Malfoy and his cronies were giving them a hard time. Jack was nowhere in sight, despite the fact that he had gone into town with the others. Harry didn't really seem to notice, and gave Robin a mischievous smile before covering himself again with the cloak and disappearing down the hill.

Robin stayed tucked behind her tree, grinning wildly at the mischief that was unfolding before her. She almost wished that they could take Harry as a changeling for the Seelie Court…he would make a wonderful jester. The sprite felt a presence behind her, but didn't turn as it neared.

"Wondered when you would show up," she said quietly as Jack slid up beside her. He was in his own form, and so invisible to the others, but she stayed in the mortal disguise and hidden behind the tree. Her eyes never left the children, waiting carefully for her cue.

Jack shrugged and bit into an apple he's pulled from a pocket. "I thought I felt you in the town," he replied through a mouthful. "What's that thing around Harry?"

"An Invisibility Cloak," she answered. "And don't talk with your mouth full." Robin watched as Harry tormented the bullies, causing them to think that ghosts were among them. She giggled as they tripped and turned over themselves, careful to muffle the sound with her hand.

"Invisibility Cloak, hmm? It fools the mortals, then?"

"Oh yes. Completely. Just gives me a bit of a headache, looking at it from the outside. Like I know he's there, but my eyes keep sliding off of him. Must be a powerful form of magic."

"Yeah."

"How did you get away from Malfoy?" she asked after a moment.

"Just told him I had some things to look at in the shops. Wasn't that hard—he doesn't demand much information from me, and if he does I glare at him till he whimpers off." There was another crunch of apple. "Oh, and I've gotten invited to his place for Christmas. So that part is taken care of."

"Good. My lot are staying here, so I put myself down as staying behind too. Told them that my parents were going abroad to care for relatives, and didn't know when they would be back. And don't talk with your mouth full."

Jack just grinned at her as the three Slytherins came running past them. Robin ducked behind her tree, giggling madly, as they scurried off. With another crunch of apple, Jack, raised his eyebrows at her and threw the apple at their backs, causing them to run faster. With a smirk, he gave Robin a little wave before heading out after them, just as Harry called out to Robin.

"That was fantastic!" she exclaimed, bounding down to her friends. "I just wish that good for nothing cousin of mine had been here too."

* * *

Harry sat up with his wand-light, studying the Marauder's Map in fascination. He watched various members of the castle going about their nightly jaunts. Just as he was about to put it away, however, a name popped out to him that hadn't been there before. A bubble saying 'Robin Goodfellow' was leaving the Gryffindor common room. Harry looked again, confused. There was no reason for Robin to be wandering about the castle at night, especially alone…he doubted that the girl would have even had the courage to break such a major rule on her own. And why did it say 'Goodfellow'? Hadn't Robin said her last name was Fellows? 

Before he though about what he was doing, Harry was up and out of bed. He followed the bubble as quickly and as quietly as he could, though it seemed to stay several corridors ahead of him. Again, Harry was surprised. He wouldn't have thought that Robin could move that fast.

Finally, the bubble stilled, at least momentarily. As Harry entered the corridor, he hissed out into the darkness. "Robin!" There was no answer, so he kept walking, whispering his friend's name every few steps.

Puck turned, Harry's voice startling her, almost as much as his use of her mortal name. How did he know she was here? The light from his wand was almost blinding in the darkness that surrounded them. As he drew closer, she saw the outline of the map. "Shit," she said, as Jack came around the corner. She waved him into silence as he looked at her curiously.

Harry paused next to her, staring at the map in confusion. According to the parchment, he should be practically on top of Robin. So where was she?

Hearing someone down the corridor, Harry looked up. Puck took advantage of his distraction to look at the map, mutter another curse under her breath, and blow a quick Glamour over the page. By the time that Harry looked back down and realized that it was Snape heading his way, the job was done. The wizard muttered "Mischief managed" to hide the map, not even noticing in his panic that Robin's name had disappeared.

Puck also saw Snape heading in the boy's direction, and hated to leave him in a crunch…especially since it was apparent he was only out of his room to look for her. But there were more pressing matters at hand, and Jack was tugging at her sleeve…she sighed as the Potions professor came into view and started interrogating the boy. It would seem that Harry would just have to get himself out of this one…

* * *

Outside the castle, Puck and Jack walked toward a dark figure at the edge of the forest. Unlike with the bogan, there was no threat in this creature. As they got closer, Oberon's finely shaped features came into view in the moonlight that reflected off of the snow. 

The King of Shadows stood still, watching them approach, his hands clasp behind his back and staring up at the moonlit lake. The snow posed no hindrance to the faeries, who seemed to glide over the surface, not leaving a footprint in their wake. Puck grinned up at her king as they came up beside him.

"To what do we owe the pleasure, m'lord?" she asked cheekily. Oberon sparred her a small smile before turning towards the forest.

"We have an appointment," he said, already walking into the depths. Puck and Jack exchanged a look before following.

"An appointment? With what, giant spiders and solitaries?" Puck asked as they traipsed through the forest. Her question was soon answered by the sounds of nearing hoof beats.

"Centaurs?" she yelped. "Have you lost your bloody mind?" Oberon silenced her with a look as the creatures approached. Puck looked at Jack nervously as they took their places on either side of Oberon.

Only one centaur came up to meet them, though several others remained in the surrounding area. Puck could sense more nearby, and the very thought made her uneasy. The faeries weren't on bad terms with the centaurs…but the two groups didn't interact on a regular basis either. To some extent, the centaurs blamed the faeries for the loss of so much of the magical world, and with it, the loss of many centaurs and their land. Once upon a time centaurs had roamed where they wished…but mortals became more abundant and once the War broke out, the faeries' power was never the same. Puck knew that some centaurs blamed Oberon for the shift of power…but at least these didn't seem openly hostile. At the moment.

"Firenze," the king greeted. "I was told you had a message for me," Oberon's tone was that of no-nonsense. The centaur nodded gravely.

"My brothers and I have been watching the stars," he answered. "Bad things are coming. The tides are turning. We felt it necessary to warn you, so that the balance of power may be maintained."

Puck opened her mouth to speak, but snapped it shut at Oberon's sideways look. "And I appreciate the warning. I don't suppose that you have anything more specific…"

Firenze shook his head, his mane-like hair shaking with the movement. "We are but observers, not predictors. I know only what we see, and what we interpret from those sights. I'm afraid I can help you no further."

Oberon nodded in understanding. "I thank you for your aid. If there is anything else that you and your kindred observe, you know how to reach me."

The centaur nodded, his hooves stamping the cold ground. Oberon inclined his head to the creature, and Firenze mirrored the movement, before taking off with the rest of his kind. As they left, the faeries stood still in their wake.

"Well that was even less helpful than usual," Puck said, once they were gone. Oberon shook his head as they turned and headed back towards the castle.

"Just another in a long list of rumors, I'm afraid. We've been getting reports of stirrings in the UnSeelie Court. I'm beginning to think that this may be more than just Illyria being up to her old tricks," Oberon said in a tired voice.

"What sorts of rumors?" Puck asked, stopping short, suddenly very serious. Oberon turned to look at her.

"Little things, mostly. But little things that could be adding up to bigger things." He paused, glancing at the sky, gathering his thoughts, before continuing.

"We've been hearing of unusual grouping of UnSeelies where they haven't been before. Large gatherings when it's not time for festival or the March. And I've been getting the sense that Nicnivin is up to something, simply from the whisperings that have been coming in. There's too much movement that she's trying to keep too quiet for it to be innocent." Oberon fixed his gaze on Puck, then Jack, as he strode up close to them, as though to tell them a secret.

"If what the centaurs say is true…if all of the rumors put together are true…then Nicnivin may be preparing for another war. If that happens, she _must not gain this forest_. The wizards would not be able to handle a full-scale assault from all sides, and we can't help if they're pinned in. Firenze was right about one thing…the balance must be kept. On all sides, mortal and fey alike."

"What do you need us to do?" Jack asked. Oberon looked at him and sighed.

"For now…what you've been doing. Keep watch. Keep the children safe. If they are making a play for the wizards, then a few changelings may be how they start. I'm having a few of the dukes put their people on alert, in case you need help in a hurry. Other than that, just…be careful."

Jack and Puck nodded, and with a deep breath, the trio continued back to Hogwarts. At the edge of the forest, Oberon paused, not wanting to enter the school's grounds, and Puck stopped with him. Sensing that the king wanted a moment alone with his changeling, Jack wordlessly continued towards the school.

"So, this is what happens when I leave you alone for a few months? The state of nature is at risk and we may all be sucked into an all-fronts war? What did you ever do without me?" Puck smirked as they watched Jack head off. Oberon looked down at the sprite with a smile. He had missed her lightness while they'd been separated.

"How are things going with the children?" he asked. Puck shrugged, shuffling her feet a little.

"Can't speak for Jack—though he doesn't seem to be enjoying his lot much. Harry and Hermione are good, though. I don't think Ron much knows what to do with me hanging around." She laughed at little at the last thought, missing Oberon's look of intrigue. The fact that she was calling the children by their first names was a bit shocking to him—usually Puck remained much more impersonal, and much more sarcastic, of the mortals she was playing with.

"You're getting attached to them," he said, and it wasn't a question, but a statement. Puck looked uncomfortable at the thought, and after only a moment in his gaze, quickly turned her back to him and became fascinated with the canopy of trees above her head.

"I wouldn't say that. They're just…nice to me, that's all. No questions, just trusting and…nice."

Oberon furrowed his brow as his surprise turned to concern. He walked over to her. "Puck," he started, his tone forcing her to turn and face him. "You know better than to grow too fond of them. It'll only lead to heartache."

Puck smiled shallowly and laughed him off. "Oh, I know that," she answered. "Wouldn't be so stupid as to waste the energy in getting attached to a mortal. You barely turn around and all of a sudden they're dust. What's the point?" She made the mistake in glancing at Oberon again, and the look in his eyes told her that she wasn't fooling him for a moment. Her smile dropped a bit, and she turned away from him again, not able to meet his eyes any longer.

"They're just…they're so…accepting. They don't judge me, or look past what I give them, and…beings so young shouldn't be so trusting." Her voice dropped with her gaze, and Puck was disconcerted to realize that maybe she was getting attached, just a bit, to these absurd little wizard children.

Oberon took a deep breath, before walking up behind her and putting his hands on her shoulders. "Just be careful," he said, leaning low so that he was level with her ear. "I don't want to see you hurt."

* * *

Puck strode up to the castle, moving swiftly. She was eager to check on Harry—even with Oberon's warning still ringing in her ears. The sprite felt energized after being with her king, however, and she was eager for a bit of mischief. It appeared that Snape had turned in for the night, and a quick pop up to Gryffindor showed that Harry had been released from his clutches. 

With a grin, Puck slid back down to the dungeons. She couldn't help but cackle as she peered at all of the odd jars and bottles with ridiculous titles such as "Gillyweed" and "Boomslang skin." The dark closet was lit up with the green glow of her Glamour as labels were switched and various objects such as Shrivelfigs and Bezoar stones look like things that they weren't. Ah yes…the good Professor Snape would be in for quite a shock the next time he delved into his private stores…


	8. I'll Follow You, I'll Lead You About

A/N: Wow, boys and girls. So sorry I haven't been around lately—my muses went on strike when I started my fiction writing class. My goal for this chapter was originally January; can you believe it? But I got to the Christmas stuff and the story disappeared for awhile. This is really more of a filler chapter, but the good news is I know where it goes from here. Not making any promises on updates (cause we know what happens when I do), but keep an eye out for me.

Also, I'm planning on going back and revising bits of this story (specifically ch.2). Plot stuff changed, and the earlier bits of this story are rubbish. So, be on the lookout for those updates too.

And don't bother telling me that I'm contradicting myself, plot-wise—I already know, hence the planned rewrite.

Disclaimer: Yeah, right. Me own any of this stuff? Please.

* * *

Robin stared at the wooden flute in her hands, as if wondering how it got there. She looked up at Hermione, then moved her gaze to Harry and Ron, completely speechless for the first time that she could remember in…well, quite a long time. "I saw you fingering them at Hogsmeade," Hermione said in explanation. "And we always try to get each other something, so we just sort of went in together on it. Can you play?"

The sprite's fingers had already positioned themselves over the finger holes. "Oh yes," she said softly. "I just haven't…not in many years." Her voice was quiet, and brought an air of uneasiness into the room. For a moment, the girl was far older than she appeared, and the children felt a brush of ancient power sweeping through their midst. Then Robin inhaled sharply, and the mood was broken; she raised her eyes to Hermione's and grinned, lurching forward to throw her arms around the girl's neck with a shriek of laughter. Once their contact was broken she did the same to Harry, but froze after pulling back from him.

"Wait though," she paused. "I haven't got anything for any of you."

"That's alright," Harry said.

"Yeah, you can just make it up to us next Christmas," Ron laughed.

* * *

The main hall was practically empty, and the remaining teachers and students sat at one table as instructed by Dumbledore. Robin sat nervously between Hermione and a first year boy she didn't know. Being so close to the Headmaster had not been a part of her plan.

With so few people at the large table, Robin did her best to remain unnoticed. She helped herself to the food that was before her, but didn't go out of her way to ask for anything. Her only hope at that point was to get through the meal without Dumbledore paying attention to her.

"Derek, have you had any of these chipolatas? They're excellent." Robin jumped as Dumbledore addressed the boy sitting next to her, and kept her eyes on her plate. A moment later, the Headmaster had gone silent, despite his constant jolly dialogue with most of the people at the table. Robin felt the heavy weight of a gaze on her and peaked up from behind her curls, hoping that what she feared hadn't come true. Sure enough, Dumbledore was looking at her, fumbling for words.

"I'm sorry, my dear. My old mind can't seem to remember your name."

"Robin, sir. Robin Fellows." The girl's words were barely audible. Her friends seemed to pick up on her nervousness.

"She's in Gryffindor with us," Harry said. Dumbledore nodded, as though the words had triggered exactly what he'd needed. Ducking her head again, she managed to snag another glance of the Headmaster. She could see the doubt still lingering in his eyes. With an inward sigh, she hoped that no further explanation would be demanded.

Fortunately, the meal was over quickly enough. Robin rose with the Harry and Ron and went from the hall as quickly as she could without running. As the professors cleared the room, McGonagall fell into step with the Headmaster.

"Albus…" she started, before being cut off.

"Thirty-eight years, Minerva. Thirty-eight years I've been headmaster of Hogwarts. More than fifty since I first became a professor here. And never once have I forgotten the name of one of my students."

"What, the Fellows girl? Albus, we have bigger things to worry about. The bogan that was left in the lounge? And this morning Severus informed me that his private store had been gotten into. Nothing appears to be missing, but the vandalism done could have caused serious damage had he not caught on to it. As it is he almost made a serious error in producing Remus's potion because some ingredients had been switched. What are we going to do?"

"Hmm? Oh, keep an eye out, I suppose. Once the full staff has returned, we should make sure someone is patrolling the halls at night. Make sure that the ghosts are aware of what's going on. Other than that, we must wait to see if something more develops. Tell me about this Fellows girl. For the life of me, I don't remember her being placed in Gryffindor."

"Robin? She was transferred here with her cousin Jack, from Durmstrang. Incredibly talented with transfiguration. I assumed you had been the one to take care of them."

"There was no transfer from Durmstrang. I'll have to go back and look through my records, I suppose."

"Yes, yes, Albus. Just please don't let it distract you from the crisis at hand."

* * *

Puck sat on the corner of the roof, her fingers absently toying with her new flute. She twirled it between her fingers a few times, before settling on fingering out an ancient tune. It had been centuries since she'd played. Pan had taught her, as a surprise for Oberon, back when she was young and oh so eager to please. Back when the Gods still came off of their tower to play with the lesser beings. That had changed after the War, when they'd distanced themselves from humanity and fey alike...but oh, what a time they'd had, once upon a time. She and Pan had been wondrous cohorts, together so much that his form was often mistaken for hers. True, she supposed that a half-man, half-goat creature made for a more mystical form than that of a mortal female—but Puck dressed to please her master, and Oberon preferred the mortal look.

There was a quiet noise behind her, and the tickle in the back of her mind told her that the pooka had come home. "Hello Jack," she greeted without turning. "Have fun?"

Jack swung down beside her. "Oh, it was glorious. Nothing but stiff talks and awkwardness all the way around. Though I certainly understand Draco a bit more, having met his father. What about you? Did you miss me?"

"I was beside myself with grief," Puck answered drily.

"See you got a new toy." Jack commented as he pulled a bottle of wine from his jacket.

"Yeah." Puck looked at the flute for a moment before tucking it into her pocket. "Gift from the kiddies. Where'd you get the goods?"

Jack glanced at the label of the bottle before popping the cork. "Snagged it out of the Malfoy's wine cellar. How else do you think I survived the last few weeks?"

"Cheers." Puck accepted the offered bottle and took a swig. "I think we have a problem."

"You and your problems." Jack gulped down some of the wine. "Well, let's have it."

"Dumbledore noticed me at Christmas dinner."

"And? Is he onto you?"

Puck paused, taking back the bottle and playing with it for a moment. "I'm not sure. He realized that he didn't know my name, and that threw him. I'm not sure if he'll write it off as a mistake, or if he'll dig into it. Either way though, we need to be extra careful for awhile."

Jack reclaimed the bottle. "Alright. That shouldn't be hard. Anything else I should know about?"

"I don't know." Puck's tone changed as she climbed to her feet. Staring into the blackness of the forest, Jack joined her.

"What is that?" he asked. "What's happening? Do you feel that?"

"Oh yes," she answered. "I feel it."

"What are they doing?" There was no doubt about it now—the power of the UnSeelie creatures in the forest was surging in a way that Puck hadn't felt in a very long time.

"They're gathering," Puck said, dread growing in her mind. "The UnSeelie Court is preparing for war."


End file.
